Stackable and nestable container



Sept- 4, 1962 A. H. FRATER STACKABLE AND NESTABLE CONTAINER Filed Aug. 2, 19 60 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ALLEN H. FRATER FIG. I.

ANDRUS 8| STARKE Attorneys Sept. 4, 1962 A. H. FRATER STACKABLE AND NESTABLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1960 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR.

ALLEN H. FRATER ANDRUS 8 STARKE FIG. 4.

Attorneys States Patent 3,052,373 Patented Sept. 4, 1962 3,052,373 STACKABLE AND NESTABLE CONTAINER Allen H. Frater, Watertown, Wis, assignor to G. B. Lewis Company, Watertown, Wis, a corporation of Wiscousin Filed Aug. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 47,084 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-97) This invention relates to a stackable and nestable container.

Containers of the stackable and nestable type are often constructed so that in one position the upper container will nest within a lower container for storage purposes and when the upper container is rotated 180, it will stack vertically on the lower container. Containers of this general type are disclosed in the patents to Milton A. Frater, 2,823,828 and 2,823,829, and have been constructed with both the end walls and the side walls sloping inwardly and downwardly to permit nesting of identical shaped containers.

In some applications of use, it is desirable to have end walls which are disposed vertically or at 90 to the bottom surface and due to the sloping end walls of the conventional stackable and nestable containers, adapters or bumpers frequently have to be attached to the end walls of the containers. The addition of the bumpers to the end wall of the containers increases the cost of the container as well as increasing the number of parts and the assembly time thereof.

The present invention is directed to a stackable and nestable container in which at least one of the end walls and/ or side walls is substantially vertical, while the oppo site wall is sloped inwardly and downwardly. Even though one of the walls is vertical, it has been found that identical containers can be nested and stacked vertically.

More specifically, the container is provided with a pair of inwardly and downwardly sloping side walls and a pair of ends Walls. The side walls and end walls are connected by a bottom wall to provide an open top container and a rim extends around the upper edge of both the end walls and side walls of the container.

According to the invention, one of the end walls is disposed substantially vertical in a plane at 90 to the plane of the bottom wall. The end walls are formed with inwardly extending convolutions with the inwardly extending convolutions in one end wall being opposed to the outwardly extending convolutions in the opposite end wall.- Shelves or ledges are located above the inwardly extending convolutions in both of the end walls and are disposed at a level beneath the rim.

To stack the containers, the upper container is turned 180 with respect to the lower container and the lower ends of the outwardly extending convolutions of the upper container will rest on the shelves of the lower con- .tainer to thereby support the upper container in a vertical stack relation.

The containers of the invention can be nested together for storage purposes and yet, by rotating the upper container 180, they can be stacked in a vertical relation when filled.

As one of the end walls is provided with a substantially .vertical surface, the container is particularly adaptable for use in a conveyor system or as a drawer where it is desired to have an end wall extending in a plane 90 to the bottom wall.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the container of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the vertical wall of the container;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the stacking and nesting arrangement of the container.

The drawings illustrate a stackable and nestable container formed of plastic, metal or the like, and comprising a pair of opposed side walls 1 and a pair of end walls 2 and 3. The side walls and end walls are connected together by a bottom wall 4 to provide an open top container.

A rim 5 extends outwardly from the upper edge of both the side walls 1 and the end walls 2 and 3 and the outer portion of the rim defines a head which may be reinforced by a wire 6, or the like.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the side walls 1 of the container slope inwardly and downwardly toward the bottom wall. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, the end wall 2 slopes downwardly and inwardly toward the bottom wall 4, while the end wall 3 is substantially vertical and is located in a plane normal to the bottom wall 4.

Each of the walls 2 and 3 is provided with one or more inwardly extending convolutions 7. The upper ends of the convolutions 7 associated with the sloping end wall 2 are provided with ledges or shelves 8 which are located in planes substantially parallel to the bottom wall 4. The shelves 8 are connected to the rim 5 by means of upwardly and outwardly sloping bearing surfaces 9.

The upper end of the central convolution 7 associated with the vertical end wall 3 is provided with a shelf 10 which is disposed substantially flush with the upper surface of rim 5. In addition, the upper ends of each of the remaining convolutions 7 in end wall 3 are provided with shelves 11 which are similar to shelves 8, and sloping surfaces 12 connect the shelves 11 with the rim 5.

As best shown in FIGURE 1, the convolutions 7 in vertical wall 3 includes one or more laterally extending vertical surfaces 13 and one or more inwardly oifset lateral surfaces 14-, which are substantially parallel to the surfaces 13 but are located inwardly toward the longitudinal center of the container. The surfaces 13 and 14 are connected by diagonal surfaces 15. A vertical plane extending through the surface 15 should generally be at an angle A of 30 to 60 with respect to a transverse plane. Preferably, this angle A is in the neighborhood of 45. As best shown in FIG. 2, the convolutions 7 have a substantially uniform Width throughout their height.

To space the rim 5 of the upper container above the rim of the lower container when in the nesting position, a series of abutrnents 16 are formed on the end walls and extend inwardly toward the center of the container. Each of the abu-tments 16 is provided with a shaped bearing surface :17 and the bottom surface of the upper container is provided with complementary surfaces 18 which engage the surfaces 17 when the containers are in the nesting position, as shown in FIG. 5.

In order to properly nest the identical containers having a vertical end wall 3, a specific relationship has been determined to exist between the slope or draft of the end wall 2, the wall thickness of the end walls and the nesting height. This relationship has been found to be expressed by the formula:

.23 tan B- h where B is the minimum angle of draft or slope from a vertical plane as shown in FIG. 4, x is the thickness of one end wall in inches, y is the thickness of the other end wall in inches and h is the nesting height or the distance between the lower surface of the bottom wall of the upper container to the upper surface of the bottom of the lower container.

To provide the stacking arrangement, the distance from the lower ends of the outwardly projecting convolutions 7 to a transverse plane passing through the longitudinal center of the container should be greater than the distance from the shelves 8 to this transverse plane. This is best shown in FIGURE 1 in which the distance C should be greater than the distance D.

FIG. 4 illustrates the nesting and stacking arrangement of the containers. In the nesting position, the surfaces 18 on the bottom of the upper container rest on the bearing surfaces 17 of the lower container to thereby space the rim of the upper container above that of the lower container.

When stacking, the upper container is removed from the lower container and rotated 180". In the stacking position, the surfaces 18 on the bottom of the upper container bear against and are supported by the complementary surfaces 9 and 12 on the lower container to thereby support the upper container in a vertical stacked relation.

While the above description has been directed to the convolutions being in the end walls, the terms side walls and end walls are used interchangeably and it is contemplated that the convolutions may be disposed in the side walls. In addition, both one of the end walls and one of the side walls can be vertical as long as the opposite wall is sloped inwardly and downwardly.

It is also contemplated that while the surfaces 9, l2 and 17 are shown as flat surfaces, they can have any desired configuration as long as they provide a ledge or hearing support to be engaged by complementary surfaces on the bottom of the upper container. Similarly, the convolutions 7 can have any desired shape as long as an inwardly extending convolution of one wall is opposite an outwardly extending convolution of the other wall.

The present invention provides a container which has one vertical wall and yet is capable of being nested and stacked with containers of identical shape and size. To provide the nesting characteristics, the slope of the end wall opposite the vertical wall is determined by the thickness of the end walls and the nesting height.

The vertical wall of the container, having no slope or draft, facilities the packing of articles within the container and increases. the capacity. In addition, the vertical wall simplifies fabrication and reduces die costs when making the container from plastic or metal sheets or sections.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. A container adapted to be nested and stacked vertically with a container of identical shape, comprising a pair of opposed first walls sloping inwardly toward each other from top to bottom, a pair of second opposed walls connected to said first pair of walls along the side edges thereof, each of said second walls having at least one substantially vertical convolution projecting inwardly toward the opposite second wall, a bottom wall connecting the lower edges of said first walls and second walls to provide a generally rectangular open top structure, one of said second walls being sloped inwardly and downwardly toward the opposite second wall and said opposite second wall being substantially normal to said bottom wall, and shelf means bridging the upper ends of said convolutions and located beneath the level of the upper edge of said first walls to thereby provide supports for the bottom surface of the upper container when the containers are in a vertically stacked position.

2. A container adapted to be nested and stacked vertically with a container of identical shape, comprising a pair of opposed first walls slopping inwardly toward each other from top to bottom, a pair of opposed second walls connected to the pair of first walls along the side edges thereof, a bottom wall connecting the lower edes of said first and second walls to provide a generally rectangular open top structure, one of said second walls sloping inwardly toward the other of said second walls and having at least one substantially vertical convolution projecting inwardly toward said other second wall and said other second wall having at least one laterally extending substantially vertical surface and having at least one laterally extending substantially vertical offset surface disposed generally parallel to said first named vertical surface and located inwardly thereof toward the longitudinal center of the container, said other second wall having a substantially vertical connecting surface joining said first named vertical surface and said offset surface with said connecting surface being disposed in a plane extending at an angle of 30 to 60 to a transverse vertical plane extending through the longitudinal center of the container, and shelf means disposed above said inwardly extending convolution and above said offset surfaces in said other second wall to support the bottom surface of an upper container when the containers are in a vertical stacked relation.

3. A container adapted to be nested and stacked vertically with a container of identical shape, comprising a pair of opposed first walls slopping inwardly toward each other from top to bottom, a pair of second opposed walls connected to said first pair of walls along the side edges thereof, each of said second walls having at least one substantially vertical convolution projecting inwardly toward the opposite second wall with said convolutions having a substantially uniform width throughout the height thereof, a bottom wall connecting the lower edges of said first walls and second walls to provide a generally rectangular open top structure, one of said second walls being sloped inwardly and downwardly toward the opposite second wall and said opposite second wall being substantially normal to said bottom wall, a rim connected to the upper edge of the first walls and the second walls and extending outwardly therefrom, means connected to the upper portion of each inwardly extending convolution for engaging the bottom wall of the upper container when the containers are in the stacking position and preventing longitudinal and lateral displacement of said upper container, and means connected to at least one of said pair of opposed walls for spacing the rim of one container a given distance above the rim of the next lower container when the containers are in the nesting position.

4. A container adapted to be nested and stacked vertically with a container of identical shape, comprising a pair of opposed first walls slopping inwardly toward each other from top to bottom, a pair of second opposed walls connected to said first pair of walls along the side edges thereof, each of said second walls having at least one substantially vertical convolution projecting inwardly toward the opposite second wall with said convolutions having a substantially uniform width throughout the height thereof, a bottom wall connecting the lower edges of said first walls and second walls to provide a generally rectangular open top structure, one of said second walls being sloped inwardly and downwardly toward the opposite second wall and said opposite second wall being substantially normal to said bottom wall, shelf means bridging the upper ends of said convolutions and located beneath the level of the upper edge of said first walls to thereby provide supports for the bottom wall of the upper container when the containers are in a Vertically stacked position, and abutment means connected to a pair of opposed walls and extending inwardly therefrom, said abutment means disposed to be engaged by a wall of the upper container when the containers are disposed in nesting relation to space the upper edge of the upper container aeeaeva a distance above the upper edge of the lower container, the minimum angle of slope of the sloping second wall being:

Where B is the minimum angle of slope with respect to a vertical plane, x is the thickness of said sloping second wall, y is the thickness of the vertical second wall and h is the vertical distance between said abutment means and the bottom wall of said container.

5. In a container adapted to be nested and stacked vertically with a container of identical shape, a pair of opposed first walls with one of said walls being sloped inwardly and downwardly toward the opposite wall and the other of said walls being substantially vertical, a bottom surface connecting the lower extremities of the walls, and abutment means connected to at least one of said walls and extending inwardly therefrom and located a substantial distance above the bottom surface, the slope of said sloping wall being:

tan B:

tan B where B is the minimum angle of slope with respect to a vertical plane, is the thickness of the sloping wall, y is the thickness of the vertical wall and h is the vertical distance between the abutment means and the bottom surface.

6. A container adapted to be nested and stacked vertically with a container of identical shape, comprising a pair of opposed first walls sloping inwardly toward each other from top to bottom, a pair of opposed second walls connected to the pair of first walls along the side edges thereof, a bottom wall connecting the lower edges of said first and second walls to provide a generally rectangular open top structure, one of said second walls sloping inwardly toward the other of said second walls and having at least one substantially vertical convolution projecting inwardly toward said other second wall and said other second wall having at least one laterally extending substantially Vertical surface and having at least one laterally extending substantially vertical offset surface disposed generally parallel to said first named vertical surface and located inwardly thereof toward the longitudinal center of the container,

said other second wall having a substantially vertical connecting surface joining said first named vertical surface and said offset surface with said connecting surface being disposed in a plane extending at an angle of about 45 to a transverse vertical plane extending through the longitudinal center of the container, abutment means connected to a pair of opposite walls and extending inwardly of the wa ls, said abutment means serving to support an upper container when the containers are disposed in nesting relation, and upper support means disposed above said inwardly extending convolution and above said offset surfaces in said other second wall to support the bottom wall of an upper container when the containers are in a vertical stacked relation.

7. A container adapted to be nested and stacked vertically with a container of identical shape, comprising a pair of opposed side walls sloping inwardly toward each other from top to bottom, a pair of opposed end walls connected to the side walls along the side edges thereof, a bottom wall connecting the lower edges of said end walls and side walls to provide a generally rectangular open to structure, one of said end walls being sloped inwardly and downwardly toward the opposite end wall and the opposite end wall being substantially normal to said bottom wall, each of said end walls having a plurality of substantially vertical generally curved convolutions projecting alternately inwardly toward the opposite side wall and outwardly away from the opposite side wall with said convolutions having a substantially uniform width throughout the height thereof, a plane tangent to the intersection of the radius of an outwardly extending convolution with the radius of cal end wall extending at an angle of 30 to with respect to the transverse vertical plane extending through the longitudinal center of the container, and means connected to the upper ends of the inwardly extending convolutions to provide support for the bottom wall of the upper container when the containers are in a vertically stacked position.

References @Citcd in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,655,283 Moldt Oct. 13, 1953 2,823,829 Frater Feb. 18, 1958 2,889,072 Lapham June 2, 1959 2,931,535 Lockwood Apr. 5, 1960 CERTIFICATE F CG RECHN Patent No. $052373 September 4 3962 Allen H Frater i It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3 line 47, for 'faoilitiea read facilitates column 4 lines '29 and 54 for "'slopping" each occurrence read sloping column o line 21 for "to" second occurrenee read top same column 6 line 32 for "0611 read an adjacent inwardly extending convolution in said vertical Signed and sealed this 22nd day of January 1963,

ERNEST u, SWIDER DAVID D Aiteeiing @fiicer Commissioner of Patents 

